UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
AT   LOS  ANGELES 


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COLLEGE  REFORM. 


9'^ 


COLLEGE   REFORM. 


BY 


FRANCIS  H.)  SMITH,  A.M. 


8UPEBIRTEin»NT  AND  PaOFESSOA  Vg  XATnEKATICS  OP  THE  TIEGINIA  MlLITAEr 
institute;  late  raOFBSSOR  OF  MATHEMATICS  IN  HAMPDEN  SIDNEY 

college;  and  formerly  an  assistant  professor  in 

the  united  states  miutart  acadeht, 

west  point. 


PHILADELPHIA: 

THOMAS,  COWPERTHWAIT  &  CO. 
1851. 


>    N 

V 


>^^ 


s. 


l4t\^V«-** 


Kntcred,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1851. 

BY  THOMAS,  COWPERTHWAIT  AND  CO., 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  for  the  Enstern  District  of 
PcnngyWania. 


C.    BlIERMAtC,    PRINTER. 


Library*. 


PREFACE. 


i  The  Virginia  Military  Institute  was  established 
-  by  the  State  of  Virginia  in  1839.  It  was  the  first 
\  attempt  to  introduce  a  complete  military  organiza- 
t    tion  into  a  State  College.     The  success  which  has 

attended  the  experiment  has  directed  public  atten- 
j  tion  to  the  system  of  discipline  and  instruction  here 
I    introduced,  with  a  view  to  a  reform  of  the  college 

system,  as  it  has  existed  in  some  of  the  oldest 
J     institutions  of  our  country. 

It  has  been  impossible  for  the  undersigned,  amid 
[  engrossing  public  duties,  to  do  justice  in  a  single 
I  letter  to  his  views  on  this  important  subject.  His 
t  replies  to  the  many  inquiries  which  have  been  ad- 
*    dressed   to   him  have  necessarily  been  imperfect, 

481152 


X  •  PREFACE. 

because  wanting  the  details  which  are  essential  to 
a  thorough  understanding  of  his  views,  and  to  a 
successful  application  of  the  system  which  he  has 
recommended.  It  is  due  alike  to  the  Institution  to 
which  he  is  attached,  as  to  those  who  are  interested 
in  the  cause  of  education,  that  the  subject  should 
be  presented  in  such  a  form  as  to  be  available  to 
the  public.  For  this  purpose  the  following  pages 
on  College  Reform  have  been  prepared. 

Francis  H.  Smith. 

Virginia  Military  Institute, 
March,  1861. 


CONTENTS. 


I.  Present  System  of  Collegiate  Education  in  the  page 

United  States,    -            -            -            -            -  14 

II.  Defects  of  the  Present  System  of  Collegiate 

Education,  with  the  Reforms  Suggested,        -  18 

1.  ViSATOBiAL  Authority,  -           -            -           -  18 

2.  Faculty,             -----  19 

3.  Course  of  Study,           -            -            -            -  20 

4.  Mode  of  Instruction,    -           -           -           -  27 

5.  Discipline,  -----  35 
ni.  Religious  Education,  -  -  -  -  51 
IV.  Military  Institutions,              -           -           -  53 


14  COLLEGE    REFORM. 


I. 


WHAT  IS  THE  PRESENT  SYSTEM  OF  COLLEGIATE 
EDUCATION  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES? 

The  colleges  of  the  United  States,  except  when 
connected  with  the  state  government,  are  under  the 
control  of  a  corporation,  styled  a  Board  of  Trustees, 
or  Visitors.  This  Board  prescribes  the  laws  for 
the  government  of  the  college,  directs  and  disburses 
its  funds,  appoints  professors,  and  confers  degrees. 
For  these  important  duties,  it  meets  once  or  twice 
a  year,  and  continues  in  session  the  whole  or  a 
part  of  one  day.  The  members  of  the  Board  hold 
their  oflBces  during  life,  and  all  vacancies  are  filled 
by  appointment  from  the  Board  itself.  These  va- 
cancies are  for  the  most  part  filled  from  the  sectarian 
or  political  bias  of  the  individual,  or  from  the  sup- 
posed influence  which  a  great  name  may  exert  on 
the  popularity  of  the  college.  A  seat  in  the  Board 
being  often  regarded  as  an  honorary  and  not  a  labo- 
rious office,  the  number  of  members  is  usually  very 
large,  varying,  according  to  circumstances,  from 
twelve  to  fifty.  The  trustees  receive  no  compensa- 
tion for  their  services,  and  are  responsible  to  no  one. 


COLLEGE    REFORM.  15 

The  instruction  and  discipline  of  our  colleges 
are  confided  to  &  faculty,  composed  of  a  president, 
professors,  and  tutors ;  who,  with  the  exception  of 
tutors,  hold  their  oflSces  during  good  behaviour, 
which  is  practically  a  life  tenure. 

The  president  presides  at  the  faculty  meetings, 
is  sometimes  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Trustees, 
delivers  diplomas,  and  is  the  organ  of  communica- 
tion with  the  college.  In  other  respects  the  autho- 
rity of  the  president  does  not  differ  from  that  of  a 
professor.  He  has  charge  of  one  or  more  classes 
for  instruction.  The  hours  of  recitation,  and  the 
amount  of  instruction  to  be  given  by  each  profes- 
sor, are  arranged  among  the  professors  themselves 
or  by  the  usages  of  the  college.  The  salary  of  a 
professor  varies  from  eight  hundred  dollars  to 
twelve  hundred  dollars,  and  is  paid  for  the  most 
part  from  the  tuition  fees.  The  permanent  funds 
of  the  college  sometimes  meet  a  portion  of  the 
salary. 

The  course  of  study  for  the  degree  of  A.  B.  is 
distributed  among  four  classes,  the  studies  of  each 
class  occupying  one  year.  These  studies  embrace 
Latin,  Greek,  mathematics,  natural  philosophy  (in- 


16  COLLEGE    REFORM. 

eluding  mechanics,  optics,  and  astronomy),  chemis- 
try, physiology,-  geology,  intellectual  and  moral 
philosophy,  rhetoric,  political  economy,  constitu- 
tional law,  and  the  evidences  of  Christianity.  Al- 
though every  candidate  for  a  bachelor's  degree  is 
required  to  go  through  the  whole  of  the  prescribed 
course,  the  extent  to  which  instruction  is  carried  in 
the  classical  and  metaphysical  studies,  is  much 
greater  than  in  the  mathematical  and  dependent 
branches. 

The  mode  of  instruction  is  in  part  by  recitation, 
in  part  by  lectures  ;  but  as  attendance  upon  the 
class-room  is  not  always  imperative  upon  the  stu- 
dent, the  actual  number  of  recitations  of  a  student 
in  any  one  subject  is  often  less  than  one  a  week. 
Further,  as  the  number  of  professors  does  not  in- 
crease with  the  number  of  students,  the  larger  the 
attendance  at  a  college,  as  a  general  thing,  the  less 
thorough  the  character  of  the  instruction.  Exami- 
nations of  the  students  take  place  at  the  end  of 
each  term,  at  which  an  occasional  member  of  the 
Board  may  be  seen.  The  professor  himself  always 
conducts  the  examination,  and  is  the  sole  judge  of 
the  merit  of  the  student.     Deficiency  in  studies 


COLLEGE    REFORM.  17 

may  subject  a  student  to  a  second  examination,  or 
deprive  him  of  his  diploma  ;  but  neglect  of  studies 
or  want  of  capacity  will  not  exclude  him  fiom  the 
privileges  of  the  college,  provided  he  conform  to 
college  laws  and  pay  the  college  fees.  No  classifi- 
cation is  made  of  the  student  in  order  of  merit, 
except  to  specify  those  who  deserve  the  "  honors" 
of  the  class,  and  to  such,  special  parts  are  assigned 
on  commencement  days. 

The  discipline  of  the  college  consists  in  circular 
reports  to  parents  or  guardians,  exhibiting  the 
number  of  absences  from  appointed  duties,  and  the 
general  diligence  of  the  student;  private  and  public 
reprimands;  suspension;  dismission;  and  expulsion. 
The  class  standing  of  a  student  is  not  at  all  affected 
by  his  moral  deportment.  He  may  be  the  most 
irregular  and  vicious  student  in  college,  and  still 
receive  the  first  honors  of  his  class.  On  the  other 
hand,  a  rigid  conformity  to  college  laws  will  not 
give  a  student  any  advantage  over  one  of  equal 
talents  but  of  bad  habits.  The  students  lodge  in 
the  college  buildings,  and  board  in  public  boarding 
houses  which  are  approved  by  the  faculty,  or  in 
private  families. 

2* 


18  COLLEGE     REFORM. 

Such  is  a  brief  but  correct  outline  of  the  college 
system  of  the  United  States.*  Some  may  be 
found  to  differ  materially  from  this  outline,  others 
partially.  But  with  all  the  exceptions  which  here 
and  there  exist,  the  above  niay  be  considered  the 
college  Bystem  of  the  United  States,  the  defects  of 
which  we  desire  to  point  out,  and,  if  possible,  re- 
form. 


11. 

DEFECTS  OF  THE  PRESENT  SYSTEM  OF  COLLEGIATE 
EDUCATION,  AND  REFORMS  SUGGESTED. 

I.    VISATOEIAL  AUTHORITY. 

This,  as  we  have  seen,  resides  in  a  cumbrous, 
self -perpetuating,  and  irresponsible  corporation. 
Could  human  ingenuity  contrive  a  more  inefficient 
body  to  control  a  college  ? 

Reform. — Reduce  the  Board  of  Trustees  to  a 
number  not  exceeding  nine  ;  abolish  the  life  tenure, 
and  let  each  trustee  serve  six  years,  one-third  of 

*  See  Dr.  Wayland's  outline  of  the  College  System  of  the 
United  States.  • 


COLLEGE    REFORM.  19 

the  Board  going  out  by  rotation  every  two  years. 
There  is  some  diflSculty  in  saying  who  shall  fill 
vacancies,  but  as  the  best  plan  that  can  be  fallen 
upon,  where  the  state  is  not  the  founder,  let  nomi- 
nations be  made  by  the  society  of  Alumni,  and 
confirmed  by  the  Board.  Let  a  seat  at  the  Board 
be  vacated  when  inexcusable  absences  from  its 
meetings  occur.  A  report  of  the  proceedings  of 
each  meeting  should  be  published,  and  all  reason- 
able expenses  of  the  trustees  in  discharging  their 
duties  be  paid.  The  president  of  the  college  should 
never  be  a  trustee.  One  of  the  duties  of  the  Board 
is  to  inquire  into  the  manner  in  which  the  presi- 
dent and  professors  have  discharged  their  duties. 
He  should  not  try  his  own  case. 

II.    FACULTY. 

The  present  arrangement  for  instruction  needs 
but  slight  improvement.  Whatever  inefficiency 
exists  in  the  faculty  of  a  college,  may  be  traced  to 
the  neglect  of  the  Board  of  trustees  in  exercising  a 
proper  supervision.  The  reform  above  suggested 
is  designed  to  remove  this  defect,  and  as  a  conse- 
quence the  dependent  one  of  an  ignorant  or  imbe- 


20  COLLEGE    REFORM. 

cile  faculty.  More  authority  should  be  given  to 
the  president,  by  making  him  the  chief  executive 
oflEicer  of  the  institution,  and  responsible  for  its 
management.  The  faculty  of  our  colleges  is  a 
species  of  oligarchy.  No  government  can  be  effi- 
cient without  a  head.  The  president  should  be 
required  to  present  to  the  Board,  at  each  annual 
meeting,  a  written  report  of  the  operations  of  the 
institution  for  the  year,  transmitting  at  the  same- 
time  reports  from  each  professor,  showing  the  pro- 
gress of  his  classes,  &c.  The  college  funds  should 
be  controled  and  disbursed  by  the  president  or 
faculty,  under  the  supervision  and  direction  of  the 
Board  (the  salaries  of  professors  being  prescribed 
by  the  Board).  This  practice  exists  in  William  and 
Mary  College,  Virginia,  with  signal  success. 

The  salaries  of  professors  are  too  low.  They 
should  be  fixed  at  a  rate  abundantly  sufficient  to 
give  perfect  competency,  and  they  should  be  as 
far  as  possible  independent  of  the  tuition  fees. 

III.    COURSE  OF  STUDY. 

The  course  of  study  embraces  too  extensive  a 
range  for  the  time  devoted  to  it,  and  as  a  conse- 


COLLEGE    REFORM.  21 

quence,  the  student  leaves  the  college  with  a  super- 
ficial knowledge,  nothing  being  thoroughly  ac- 
quired ;  or,  he  devotes  himself  to  the  particular 
branches  which  are  most  highly  esteemed  in  the 
college,  to  the  total  neglect  of  those  deemed  less 
important.  Most  of  our  colleges  give  pre-emi- 
nence to  the  classics  and  metaphysics.  Hence, 
college  graduates  are  generally  good  classical  scho- 
lars and  logicians,  but  many  graduate  in  mathema- 
tics and  natural  philosophy,  who  cannot  solve  a 
quadratic  equation,  or  demonstrate  the  parallelo- 
gram of  forces.  And  here  lies  the  chief  defect  of 
our  present  college  system.  The  education  that  is 
furnished  is  based  upon  the  wants  of  what  are 
called  the  learned  professions,  and  all  who  enter 
college,  with  whatever  pursuit  in  life  in  view,  must 
go  through  the  same  course  of  studies,  that  is  pre- 
scribed for  the  lawyer,  the  physician,  or  the  divine. 
This  is  a  practical  age,  the  American  people  are 
emphatically  a  practical  people,  and  while  the  pub- 
lic demand  has  been  for  the  knowledge  of  those 
sciences  by  which  labour  may  be  profitably  directed, 
the  agriculturist,  the  manufacturer,  the  mechanic, 
and  the  merchant,  must  study  Latin,  Greek,  and 


22  COLLEGE    REFORM. 

logic,  or  he  must  not  think  of  coveting  an  acade- 
mical degree.  Dr.  Wayland  has  most  correctly 
and  forcibly  explained  the  cause  why  the  colleges 
of  the  United  States  have  not  kept  pace  with  the 
general  progress  of  the  country. 

"  We  have  constructed  them  (colleges)  upon  the 
idea  that  they  arc  to  be  schools  of  preparation  for 
the  professions.  Our  customers,  therefore,  come 
from  the  smallest  class  of  society ;  and  the  impor- 
tance of  the  education  which  we  furnish  is  not  so 
universally  acknowledged  as  formerly,  even  by  this 
class.  We  have  produced  an  article  for  which  the 
demand  is  diminishing.  We  sell  it  at  less  than 
cost,  and  the  deficiency  is  made  up  by  charity. 
We  give  it  away  and  still  the  demand  diminishes." 
(See  Report  to  Corporation  of  Brown  University.) 

Reform. — Before  suggesting  the  reform  which 
the  defect  just  referred  to  requires,  let  us  examine 
the  remedies  which  have  been  tried  or  proposed 
for  it.  In  some  colleges  a  special  course  is  taught 
to  meet  the  wants  of  the  numerous  classes  of  young 
men  who  are  not  designed  for  the  learned  profes- 
sions. Those  who  go  through  the  prescribed  course 
receive  from  the  faculty  a  certificate  of  proficiency, 


COLLEGE    REFORM.  23 

but  thej  are  not  considered  graduates  of  the  col- 
lege. On  the  contrary,  the  prevailing  sentiment 
in  college  being  favourable  to  the  classical  course, 
those  who  take  the  special  course  do  not  rank 
among  their  fellow  students  as  high  as  those  of  the 
regular  classes.  No  duties  are  assigned  them  at  the 
annual  commencements.  Thej  are  rarely  chosen 
by  the  literary  societies  to  represent  them  on  pub- 
lic occasions,  and  thus  practically,  the  effect  of 
the  system  is  to  drive  young  men  of  talent  and 
ambition  into  the  regul^  collegiate  course,  while 
the  special  course  is  for  the  most  part  taken  by 
those  who  are  too  indolent  or  too  badly  prepared 
to  graduate. 

Dr.  Wayland,  in  his  report  before  quoted,  pro- 
poses to  abandon  the  present  system  of  adjusting 
collegiate  study  to  a  fixed  term  of  four  years,  and 
to  allow  every  student,  within  limits  to  be  deter- 
mined by  statute,  to  carry  on,  as  he  chose,  a 
greater  or  less  number  of  courses. 

The  objection  to  this  plan  arises  chiefly  from  the 
character  and  qualifications  of  those  who  enter  col- 
lege. Boys  get  nowadays  so  restless  at  the  gram- 
mar schools,  that  before  they  are  half  equipped  for 


24^  COLLEGE    REFORM. 

a  college  course,  they  are  taken  from  school  and 
sent  to  college.  Parents  too  commonly  give  little 
thought  to  the  course  of  studies  which  their  sons 
may  select.  They  determine  this  matter  for  them- 
selves. Are  they  competent  to  select  from  the 
various  courses  presented  in  a  university  pro- 
gramme, those  which  they  most  need  ?  Or,  will 
they  not  generally  select  those  which  will  re- 
quire the  least  effort  ?  Such  an  arrangement  as 
the  one  proposed  by  Dr.  Wayland,  would  answer 
well,  and  was  originally«designed  for  those  who, 
having  passed  through  the  ordinary  college  course, 
might  extend  and  perfect  their  knowledge  upon 
particular  branches,  at  an  university.  Such  was 
the  design  of  the  University  of  Virginia,  and  it  is 
an  admirable  one.  But  where  no  previous  test  of 
qualification  for  admission  is  imposed,  young  men 
will  seek  such  institutions,  because  of  the  latitude 
allowed  in  selecting  their  studies,  while  they  will 
fail  to  meet  the  particular  wants  which  have  sug- 
gested this  arrangement. 

A  college  course  to  be  faithfully  and  profitably 
prosecuted,  must  be  presented  as  a  whole.  All 
who  enter  its  walls  should  be  required  to  go  through 


COLLEGE     REFORM.  25 

the  entire  course,  and  proficiency  upon  this  course 
should  entitle  the  student  to  his  degree. 

For  this  purpose,  the  reform  that  is  suggested 
consists  in  dividing  among  several  colleges,  the  in- 
struction which  Dr.  Wayland  would  offer  in  one. 
Thus,  we  might  have  classical  colleges,  commercial 
colleges,  agricultural  colleges,  and  colleges  for  the 
industrial  pursuits. 

The  classical  colleges  would  vary  very  little  from 
their  present  organization.  Commercial  colleges 
might  suppress  Latin  and  Greek,  and  substitute 
French,  Spanish,  and  full  English  studies.  The 
mathematical  and  scientific  course  should  also  be  so 
modified  as  to  give  full  instruction  in  book-keeping, 
banking,  commercial  law,  political  economy,  and 
geography. 

Agricultural  colleges  would  also  leave  out  Latin 
and  Greek,  and  substitute  French  and  German, 
with  the  English  course.  Chemistry,  theoretical 
and  practical,  botany,  geology,  mineralogy,  and 
physiology,  animal  and  vegetable,  should  be  car- 
ried as  far  as  practicable. 

The  industrial  colleges  would  substitute  for  Latin 
and  Greek,  French  and  English,  and  extend  the 
8 


26  COLLEGE    REFORM. 

course  of  mathematics  to  descriptive  geometry, 
shades,  shadows,  and  perspective,  with  a  full 
course  of  civil  engineering  and  right-line  drawing, 
and  give  minute  and  extensive  instruction  in  me- 
chanics, especially  in  the  application  of  moving 
powers. 

By  the  ahove  arrangement,  the  parent  would 
determine  before  sending  his  son  to  college,  upon 
his  pursuit  for  life  ;  and  when  he  entered  college, 
he  would  pursue  that  course  of  study  which  enlight- 
ened judgment  and  experience  would  show  to  be 
best  for  the  special  object  to  be  attained.  It  is  of 
great  moment  to  the  proper  discipline  of  the  mind, 
that  it  be  steadily  fixed  upon  some  definite  object, 
and  no  obstacle  should  be  interposed  to  cause  a 
diversion  of  the  mind  from  that  object.  Let  a 
young  man  know  when  he  enters  the  college  walls, 
that  he  commences  his  profession,  tvhether  of  medi- 
cine, law,  agriculture,  manufacture,  or  engineer- 
ing, and  that  success  in  life  depends  upon  his  per- 
severingly  pursuing  that  object,  and  you  have 
prepared  him  for  an  effort  which  all  must  make 
who  would  reach  distinction.  He  does  not  fritter 
away  his  time  with  the  excuse  that  this  or  that 


COLLEGE    REFORM.  27 

study  will  be  of  no  use  to  him,  as  is  too  often  the 
case  by  the  present  system,  but  he  goes  to  college 
prepared  to  believe  that  all  of  the  prescribed  course 
is  essential  to  him,  and  he  takes  it  up  as  a  whole, 
determined  to  master  it  as  a  whole.  A  habit  of 
thoroughness  is  thus  formed, — a  most  important 
element  of  success  in  every  pursuit  in  life. 

IV.    MODE  OF  IN8TKUCTI0N. 

From  the  fact  that  the  present  college  course 
embraces  the  whole  range  of  science,  literature, 
and  the  arts,  only  one  teacher  can  generally  be 
assigned  to  a  single  branch.  As  a  consequence, 
the  professor  has  a  larger  number  of  students  under 
his  charge  than  he  is  able  to  instruct  properly. 
Superficial  knowledge  is  thus  substituted  for  the 
thoroughness  which  it  should  be  the  aim  of  every 
college  to  impart.  The  system  of  lectures  is  from 
the  same  cause  too  prevalent.  A  young  man  of 
sixteen  or  seventeen  is  not  going  to  study  very 
hard,  if  his  teacher  take  up  the  time  in  lecturing 
instead  of  examining  him  upon  the  text.  He  will 
lay  aside  his  books,  and  rely  upon  the  superficial 
knowledge  derived  from  a  hurried  lecture. 


28  COLLEGE    REFORM. 

The  present  system  of  instruction  does  not  pro- 
vide suflScient  motives  for  exertion,  as  little  or  no 
emulation  is  excited.  Young  men  of  good  minds 
and  studious  habits  learn  vrell  in  college.  They 
would  learn  well  anywhere.  The  dull  or  the  idle 
student  is  left  pretty  much  to  himself. 

Reform. — Divide  the  classes  in  each  department 
of  study  into  sections  of  fifteen  each,  each  section 
to  recite  separately  for  one  hour  or  one  hour  and 
a  half.  A  professor  might  in  most  cases  hear  three 
of  these  sections  daily,  and  thus  take  charge  of 
about  forty-five  students.  Should  there  be  more 
students  in  his  department,  he  should  be  supplied 
with  one  or  more  assistant  professors  or  tutors. 
Thoroughness  in  instruction  can  only  be  secured 
by  this  division  of  labour.  The  professor  would 
of  course  interchange  with  his  assistants,  direct 
their  mode  of  instruction,  and  keep  a  general  over- 
sight of  the  entire  class  as  it  progresses.  When 
lectures  are  to  be  delivered,  the  class  could  be 
assembled  by  the  professor  for  this  purpose. 

Lessons  should  as  far  as  practicable  be  learned 
from  the  text-hook,  and  each  student  thoroughly 
examined  each  day  upon  the  lessons  of  the  day. 


COLLEGE    REFORM.  29 

Each  professor  and  assistant  professor  should  give 
daily  marks  indicating  the  proficiency  of  the  stu- 
dent upon  the  lesson.  The  grade  of  marking  may 
be  scaled  as  follows :  for  a  perfect  recitation,  give 
3,  and  0,  where  there  is  a  total  want  of  prepara- 
tion. Intermediate  numbers  would  indicate  rela- 
tive merit,  as  by  the  annexed  table. 

SCALE  OF  MABKIKO  BBCITATI0N8. 


INBIFFEBENT.  BAD.  WOBST. 


21    2i    2i 


2  If  U  li  1  »  t  J 


At  the  end  of  each  week  the  instructor  should 
make  out  a  class  report,  giving  the  result  of  the 
week's  recitation,  and  present  it  to  the  president, 
that  the  totals  may  be  transferred  to  the  merit- 
hook. 

Table  A  shows  the  form  of  the  weekly  class 
report,  and  Table  B,  the  mode  in  which  the  merit- 
book  is  kept.  .  When  a  student  is  absent,  his  mark 
for  the  day  should  be  averaged. 

The  merit-hook^  B,  should  be  accessible  to  the 
students,  and  a  transcript  from  it  should  be  com- 
municated periodically  to  parents. 
3* 


80  COLLEGE    REFORM. 

The  above  arrangements  are  preparatory  to  the 
regular  grading  of  the  classes  in  the  order  of  merit. 
Until  colleges  are  brought  to  adopt  this  system  in 
full,  they  will  never  he  what  they  ought  to  he.  Some 
object  to  it  on  account  of  the  emulation  which  it 
excites.  Emulation  is  necessary  in  every  pursuit 
of  life,  and  is  nowhere  so  essential  as  in  a  college. 
The  Apostle  Paul  did  not  consider  it  wrong  to 
^^  provoke  to  emulation"  his  brethren,  according  to 
the  flesh ;  and  Dr.  Macknight,  in  his  note  on  the 
subject,  draws  a  correct  distinction  between  emu- 
lation and  envy.  "  Emulation  is  a  desire  to  equal 
others  in  the  advantages  which  they  possess,  and 
is  gratified  by  advancing  ourselves  in  an  honour- 
able manner  to  an  equality  with  them;  whereas 
envy  is  a  grief  accompanied  with  hatred,  occasioned 
by  the  good  things  which  another  possesses,  and 
which  we  think  he  does  not  deserve  as  well  as  we 
do  ;  and  is  gratified  by  degrading  others."  (Notes 
on  11th  chap.  Epistle  to  Romans.) 

The  class-marks  being  thus  used  "  to  provoke  to 
emulation,"  we  will  explain  the  method  of  apply- 
ing them.  ; 

At  the  end  of  the  term  the  sum  of  the  weekly 


COLLEGE    REFORM.  31 

totals  in  merit-book  B  is  taken.  This  will  indicate 
the  comparative  merit  of  the  members  of  the  class 
as  exhibited  by  the  daily  recitations.  This  result 
is  combined  with  the  marks  given  at  the  examina- 
tion, greater  dignity  being  of  course  attached  to 
the  examination-marks. 

The  examination  being  an  important  element  in 
the  standing,  should  be  as  thorough  as  possible, 
and  viva  voce,  all  the  members  of  the  board  of 
trustees  being  present  at  the  one  which  fixes  the 
merit  for  the  year.  There  is  much  to  recommend 
the  viva  voce  system  of  examination.  It  gives  in- 
terest to  the  occasion,  imparts  confidence  to  the 
student,  and  stimulates  to  exertion.  No  one  with 
proper  pride  would  like  to  stand  up  before  a  board 
of  intelligent  gentlemen,  and  fail  to  answer  the 
questions  proposed  to  him.  Such  an  examination 
gives  the  board  of  trustees  an  opportunity  to  judge 
not  only  of  the  progress  of  the  class,  but  of  the 
competency  and  fidelity  of  the  professor.  An  in- 
dolent or  incompetent  professor  might  very  readily 
write  out  from  the  labours  of  others  a  list  of  exa- 
mination questions,  but  might  not  be  able  to  con- 
duct properly  a  viva  voce  examination.     Nor  need 


#  • 


32  COLLEGE    REFORM. 

it  occupy  too  long  a  time.  The  annual  meeting  of 
the  board  might  very  well  employ  seven  or  eight 
days.  In  this  time  the  classes  in  a  college  of  one 
hundred  and  twenty  students  could  be  fairly  and 
fully  examined  by  the  mode  suggested.  If  more 
time  be  required,  divide  the  board  into  committees 
of  three  or  four  each,  and  carry  on  separate  exa- 
minations at  the  same  time.  To  enable  the  board 
to  judge  more  fully  of  the  merit  of  the  students, 
and  of  the  system  of  instruction,  one  or  more  com- 
petent persons  should  be  invited  by  the  board  an- 
nually to  be  associated  with  the  faculty  as  exami- 
ners. The  board  will  now  be  able  to  form  a  very 
fair  estimate  of  the  relative  merit  of  a  class  by 
combining  the  weekly  class-marks  with  the  exami- 
nation-marks and  the  opinion  of  the  instructor.  It 
is  essential  to  embrace  in  the  result,  the  instructor's 
opinion,  since,  for  reasons  that  will  be  manifest  to 
every  teacher,  the  weekly  marks  will  not  always  be 
•  a  correct  criterion  of  the  actual  merits  of  all  the 
members  of  a  class.  Some  students  absent  them- 
selves from  the  class-rooms  when  they  have  diffi- 
cidt  lessons,  and  thus  escape  marks  which  would 


COLLEGE    REFORM.  33 

place  them  below  others,  above  -whom  by  this  arti- 
fice they  happen  to  be  marked. 

To  form  now  the  general  merit  of  a  class  in  all 
the  studies  of  the  class,  it  is  necessary  to  grade 
each  subject  according  to  its  relative  importance. 
Thus,  the  general  merit  of  a  class  which  had 
been  studying  mathematics,  chemistry,  and  French, 
might  be  arranged  by  giving  to  these  subjects  the 
relative  value,  say  of  300,  200,  and  100.  These 
numbers  would  then  correspond  with  the  maximum 
mark  which  any  student  could  receive  in  these  sub- 
jects. Assuming  J  the  maximum  mark  as  the 
minimum  mark,  those  who  were  last  in  the  class  in 
these  subjects  would  receive  100,  66-6,  and  33*3 
respectively.  The  other  members  of  the  class 
would  receive  numbers  which  would  form  an  arith- 
metical series,  of  which  the  assumed  maximum  and 
minimum  would  be  the  extremes. 

These  rules  result  of  course  from  arbitrary  ar- 
rangement, and  may  be  modified  to  suit  circum- 
stances. Those  students  who  are  not  sustained  at 
an  examination,  receive  a  lower  mark  than  the 
minimum,  and  are  pronounced  deficient.  This  de- 
ficiency should  operate  in  one  of  two  ways.     The 


34  COLLEGE    REFORM. 

student  should  either  be  turned  back  to  recommence 
the  studies  of  the  session,  or  he  should  be  required 
to  withdraw  from  the  college.  If  the  deficiency 
result  from  gross  neglect  of  studies,  or  manifest 
incapacity,  he  should  withdraw.  A  grossly  idle 
student  is  a  bad  example,  and  should  not  be  allowed 
to  remain  in  college.  Where  want  of  capacity 
exists  to  such  a  degree  as  to  cause  no  progress  to 
be  made  in  the  studies,  it  is  but  justice  to  the 
parent  and  to  the  youth,  that  money  and  time  be 
not  wasted  upon  him.  If  the  deficiency  result  from 
want  of  previous  preparation  or  extreme  youth,  the 
student  might  be  turned  back  to  recommence  his 
studies.  Proficiency  being  regulated  by  the  know- 
ledge necessary  to  prosecute  the  studies  of  the 
higher  classes,  it  is  useless  to  advance  a  student 
unless  he  has  this  knowledge.  The  standard  for 
graduation  must  of  course  be  regulated  by  the 
authorities  of  the  college,  and  will  correspond  with 
the  objects  to  be  attained  by  the  particular  course 
studied.  It  is  well  to  fix  a  minimum  scale  for  pro- 
ficiency in  the  class.  Thus,  15  being  the  maximum 
for  the  week,  a  lower  mark  than  12,  for  example, 
should   be   regarded   as   a  deficient  mark.     This 


COLLEGE    REFORM.  35 

directs  the  attention  of  the  student  to  his  weekly 
marks,  and  enables  him  to  judge  of  his  own  pro- 
gress. Should  the  weekly  marks  for  the  session 
place  a  student  below  'proficiency,  he  should  be  pro- 
nounced deficient,  unless  his  examination  clearly 
shows  the  reverse. 

V.    DISCIPLINE. 

Before  we  can  determine  the  nature  of  the  dis- 
cipline required  for  our  colleges,  we  must  ascertain 
what  responsibility  a  college  assumes  in  the  moral 
government  of  the  student. 

Young  men  are  commonly  lodged  in  the  college 
buildings,  are  required  to  be  in  their  rooms  during 
the  study  hours  of  the  day,  when  not  engaged  in 
the  class-rooms,  to  be  present  at  night ;  and  to 
enforce  these  rules,  the  ofiicers  of  the  college  at 
regular  intervals  visit  their  rooms.  The  college, 
therefore,  assumes  the  responsibility  of  guarding, 
by  these  regulations,  the  morals  of  the  student. 
Is  it  right  that  it  should  ?  We  answer  unhesi- 
tatingly it  is.  Young  men  leave  home  to  enter 
college  usually  before  they  reach  majority.  We 
have  no  means  of  ascertaining  with  accuracy  the 


86  COLLEGE    REFORM. 

average  age  of  entrance  into  college,  except  in  the 
experience  of  the  institution  to  which  the  writer 
belongs.  It  may  be  assumed,  however,  at  eighteen 
years.  Is  a  young  man  at  this  age  capable  of 
taking  care  of  himself?  If  so,  why  does  the  law 
of  the  land  trammel  his  liberty  until  he  is  twenty- 
one  ?  This  interesting  period  of  his  life  is  the 
very  one,  which,  from  its  peculiar  temptations,  it 
should  be  the  office  of  a  college  to  protect  by  all 
the  moral  appliances  which  could  be  brought  to 
bear  upon  it.  A  young  man  leaves  his  home,  he 
has  been  accustomed  to  all  the  restraints  which  pa- 
rental anxiety  and  affection  deem  essential  to  his 
welfare.  He  enters  college,  and  is  at  once  thrown 
amid  a  thousand  temptations,  which  he  had  not 
known  before,  or  if  known,  had  been  protected 
from,  by  parental  vigilance  and  counsel.  Must  he 
meet  these  temptations  alone  ?  Or  shall  not  the 
authority  of  the  college  be  thrown  around  him  to 
shelter  him  from  the  dangers  which  have,  alas  ! 
but  too  often  shipwrecked  the  hopes  of  many  a  pro- 
mising youth  ?  The  young  man  needs  this  autho- 
rity, the  parent  desires  it,  nay,  demands  it,  and 
that  college  which  fails  to  exercise  it,  is  not  meet- 


COLLEGE    KEFORM.  37 

ing  the  ends  for  which  it  was  founded.  Let  me 
not  be  misunderstood.  The  parent  knows  too  well 
the  nature  of  the  difficulty  in  governing  the  young 
to  expect  a  college  to  give  security  against  all  the 
evil  effects  of  college  life.  His  own  care  has  often 
proved  ineffectual  in  the  midst  of  less  dangers  at 
home.  But  he  does  expect  his  son  to  be  under  the 
influence  of  the  wholesome  restraints  of  college  dis- 
cipline, and  that  the  authorities  of  the  college  will 
stand  towards  him  in  loco  parentis.  Is  it  right, 
then,  to  allow  him  to  lodge  in  the  families  of  the 
neighbouring  village?  To  sit  up  until  midnight 
over  the  card-table  or  the  wine-bottle  ?  To  wan- 
der  about  the  streets  at  all  hours  of  the  night? 
Are  the  rules  of  a  private  family  to  prevent  these 
practices  ?  The  college  is  then  to  transfer  to  the 
private  citizen  the  discipline  of  the  student.  But 
how  is  this  discipline  to  be  exercised  ?  In  one  of 
two  ways, — either  by  turning  the  student  out  of  the 
family,  or  reporting  him  to  the  president  of  the 
college  for  discipline.  In  either  case  it  will  be  an 
unpleasant  duty,  and  •if'  the  family  be  dependent 
upon  the  patronage  of  the  students,  as  is  most 
generally  the  case,  it  will  never  be  exercised  withr 

461152 


38  COLLBOE    REFORM. 

out  a  sacrifice  greater  than  can  be  expected.  We 
know  what  the  caprices  of  young  men  are.  Let  a 
boarding-house  keeper  exercise  restraint  on  the 
points  referred  to,  and  his  "occupation's  gone." 
With  these  views  of  the  responsibility  of  a  college, 
we  come  now  to  inquire  into  the  defects  of  the 
present  system  of  discipline. 

The  control  is  only  partial.  Young  men  of 
notoriously  bad  habits  may  be  dismissed,  but  the 
discipline  does  not  effectively  reach  offences  of  a 
minor  grade.  The  incentives  to  virtue  are  not 
sufficiently  urgent,  nor  the  restraints  to  vice  suflS- 
ciently  strong. 

Reform. — What  then  shall  be  the  nature  of  the 
college  discipline  ?  And  how  far  shall  this  disci- 
pline extend  ?  These  are  important  questions, 
and  have  given  rise  to  various  theories,  according 
to  the  different  views  of  those  who  have  written 
upon  the  subject.  Some  have  maintained  that  the 
rules  of  a  college  should  be  few  in  number  and 
simple  in  their  character,  and  these  rigidly  en- 
forced, as  involving  offences  of  a  graver  nature. 
Others  have  objected  to  formal  rules  altogether, 
and  have  argued  that  colleges  should  be  governed 


COLLEGE    REFORM.  89 

by  the  "code  of  honour,"  or  by  means  purely 
moral.  Now,  young  men  have  evil  passions,  which 
it  should  be  the  object  of  discipline  to  restrain  ; 
they  have  careless,  idle,  and  procrastinating  habits, 
which  discipline  should  correct;  and  they  have 
noble  qualities,  which  discipline  should  properly 
cultivate  and  direct.  Much  may  be  accomplished 
by  "moral"  means.  The  pride  and  honour  of  a 
youth  may  often  be  appealed  to  with  effect.  But 
more  is  wanting.  A  system  of  discipline  is  re- 
quired, which,  without  neglecting  these,  shall  meet 
the  numberless  cases  of  irregularity  which  do  not 
in  themselves  involve  a  departure  from  moral  prin- 
ciple, but  the  control  of  which  is  important  to  the 
well-being  and  progress  of  the  student.  Small 
offences  should  be  noticed  and  checked,  lest  they 
grow  into  larger  ones;  and  promptness,  punctuality, 
and  system,  in  the  discharge  of  all  duties,  should 
be  cultivated  as  habits^  the  importance  of  which 
will  be  felt  in  the  active  business  of  life.  This 
discipline  should  admit  of  being  carried  into  effect, 
without  exciting  the  angry  passions  of  teachers  or 
pupils ;  for  unless  there  exist  a  mutual  respect  and 


40  COLLEGE    REFORM. 

regard  between  the  teacher  and  the  pupil,  no  satis- 
factory results  can  be  attained  by  either. 

If  these  views  of  the  nature  of  college  discipline 
be  correct,  it  will  be  seen  that  the  objection  to  an 
uniform  system  of  discipline  for  the  old  and  young 
does  not  so  fully  exist,  as  might,  at  first  view,  be 
supposed.  Young  men  of  twenty-five  may  be  more 
sedate  in  their  habits,  and  less  liable  to  the  influ- 
ences of  bad  example  in  others  ;  but  besides  setting 
sometimes  bad  examples  themselves,  they  not  unfre- 
quently  have  careless  and  idle  habits,  which  should 
be  corrected,  and  they  often  need  the  stimulants  of 
college  discipline  as  much  as  the  young.  No  man 
who  enters  college  is  ever  too  old  to  learn  habits  of 
order  and  system,  which  a  wholesome  discipline 
may  impart ;  and  the  fact  that  he  enters  college 
late  in  life,  may  be  the  very  reason,  that  being 
deprived  of  this  training  in  his  earlier  days,  he 
needs  it  the  more  now.  Were  the  students  of  our 
theological  seminaries  placed  under  the  discipline 
which  will  be  now  explained,  its  effect  would  soon 
be  perceptible  in  a  more  active,  energetic,  and  sys- 
tematic ministry. 

It  is  recommended,  therefore, — 


COLLEGE     REFORM.  4l 

1.  To  define  particularly  every  duty^  and  to 
punish  by  demerit-marks,  corresponding  with  the 
criminality  of  each  offence,  every  violation  of  the 
rules,  or  neglect  of  the  duties  of  the  college. 

The  following  outline  will  show  how  these  rules 
may  be  defined,  and  what  penalties  might  attach  to 
each  offence. 

OFFENCES.  DEMERIT. 

Profane  language,  10 

Irreverence  in  religious  exercises,  5  to  10 

Disorderly  conduct,  5  to  8 

Absent  from  class  duty,  3 

Want  of  preparation  in  lessons,  3 

Late  at  class-call,  1 

Talking  in  lecture-room,  2  to  5 

Abuse  of  college  property,  5  to  10 

Neglect  of  police  in  room,  3 

Neglect  of  personal  neatness,  3  to  5 

Visiting  during  study  hours,  5 

Absent  from  college,  5 

Absent  at  night,  8 

Using  tobacco,  5 
Spitting  tobacco  juice  on  lecture-room  floors,  5 

Noise  in  college,  5  to  10 

Not  rising  at  prescribed  time,  3 

Not  retiring  at  prescribed  time,  3 
&c.  &c. 

These  rules  and  the  corresponding  demerit  may 
4* 


458  COLLEGE    REFORM. 

be  varied  to  suit  the  circumstances  of  the  institu- 
tion. 

Reports  for  violation  of  any  college  law  should 
be  made  in  writing  to  the  president  of  the  college, 
who  should  cause  them  to  be  transcribed  and  read 
out  to  the  students  every  Friday  afternoon.  On 
the  following  morning  those  students  who  have 
excuses  for  their  reports,  should  present  them  in 
writing  according  to  a  prescribed  form  (see  Form) 
to  the  president.  The  president  should  then  care- 
fully examine  each  excuse,  and  cause  the  reports 
not  removed  to  be  recorded,  with  the  penalty  at- 
tached, in  the  demerit-hook.  No  verbal  communi- 
cation should  take  place  between  any  officer  and 
student,  in  reference  to  any  report  for  a  delin- 
quency, except  by  way  of  explanation,  with  the 
consent  of  the  president,  and  then  the  explanation 
should  always  be  asked  and  given  in  the  most 
courteous  terms.  Written  excuses  are  required  to 
avoid  disputation.  The  demerit-book  should  be 
open  to  the  inspection  and  examination  of  parents 
and  students.  Table  D  shows  the  form  of  the 
demerit-book. 

2.    WTien  the  total  amount  of  demerit  of  any  stu- 


COLLEGE    REFORM.  43 

dent  exceeds  100  in  a  session  of  Jive  months,  he 
should  be  immediately  dismissed  from  the  college. 

This  rule  does  not  make  it  necessary  to  retain  a 
vicious  student  until  he  gets  100  demerit.  No 
young  man  of  bad  habits,  or  who  has  been  detected 
in  a  wilful  act  of  moral  delinquency,  should  be 
allowed  to  remain  in  college.  The  position  cannot 
with  safety^  held,  that  the  promise  and  hope  of 
amendment  are  sufficient  grounds  for  withholding 
extreme  discipline.  The  question  involved  does  not 
aifect  the  individual  delinquent  alone.  Example 
is  an  all-powerful  principle  with  the  young ;  and 
when  the  continuance  of  a  bad  student  in  a  college 
may  be  the  means  of  communicating  vicjpus  princi- 
ples or  habits  to  others,  those  who  allow  it  are 
working  an  injury  which  cannot  be  compensated 
for  by  the  probable  benefits  anticipated.  One  of 
the  most  distinguished  teachers*  of  the  present 
day  has  well  remarked,  "  Till  a  man  learns  that  the 
first,  second,  and  third  duty  of  a  schoolmaster  is  to 
get  rid  of  unpromising  subjects,  a  great  public  school 
will  never  be  what  it  might  be,  and  what  it  ought 

*  Dr.  Arnold,  of  Rugby  School,  England. 


44  COLLEQE    REFORM. 

to  be."  The  remark  is  equally  applicable  to  col- 
leges. 

It  is  also  true,  in  general,  that  when  a  student 
with  a  perfect  knowledge  of  the  effects  of  his  de- 
merit is  so  irregular  or  disorderly,  as  to  exceed  100 
demerit  in  a  term,  he  possesses  habits  which  will 
make  his  continuance  in  the  college  not  only  inju- 
rious to  others,  but  unprofitable  to  hii^elf.  When 
the  president  observes  the  demerit  of  a  young  man 
fearfully  increasing,  his  duty  is  to  talk  with  him 
privately,  admonish  him  of  the  consequences.  If 
this  will  not  check  him,  let  him  bring  into  exercise 
the  co-operation  of  the  parent;  and  if  all  these 
influencesrfail,  he  has  what  Dr.  Arnold  would  call 
an  "unpromising  subject,"  and  "his  first,  second, 
and  third  duty  is  to  get  rid  of  him  at  once." 

3.  The  conduct  of  each  student  should  be  com- 
bined with  his  scholarship^  in  forming  the  general 
merit. 

The  system  of  demerit  here  proposed,  will  lose 
most  of  its  efficacy,  unless  the  class-standing  of  the 
student  be  influenced  by  his  conduct.  Experience 
has  shown  that  this  consideration  will  operate  upon 
young  men,  who,  without  it,  would  only  aim  to 


COLLEGE    REFORM.  45 

avoid  exceeding  the  limit  of  deficiency  in  conduct. 
Many  an  instance  has  come  under  the  writer's  o\Yn 
observation,  in  which  the  delinquent  would  plead 
with  an  earnestness  which  would  show  his  willing- 
ness to  submit  to  any  penalty  as  a  substitute  for 
the  demerit  which  would  lower  him  a  file  in  his 
class.  And  this  combination  of  conduct  with  scho- 
larship is  the  correct  mode  of  determining  the 
general  merit  of  a  student.  What  is  it  which 
secures  distinction  in  after  life  ?  It  is  not  intellect 
alone,  but  the  union  of  this  with  industrious,  me- 
thodical, and  virtuous  habits.  Indeed,  how  often 
do  we  see  success  attend  an  inferiority  of  natural 
powers,  where  they  have  been  honestly  and  zealously 
cultivated  !  To  combine  the  conduct  with  scholar- 
ship, we  must  fix  a  numerical  standard  by  which  to 
estimate-conduct.  Give  to  it  then  an  importance 
equal  to  300.  The  student  who  has  no  demerit 
against  him  at  the  end  of  the  term,  will  receive 
300  as  his  conduct-mark.  Let  every  demerit  a 
student  has,  remove  \  from  300.  A  person  having 
20  demerit,  would  then  have  as  his  conduct-mark 
295,  that  is,  300  less  \° .  One  having  50  demerit, 
would  receive  287*5,  and  so  on.     The  number  of 


46  COLLEGE    REFORM. 

demerit  for  one  year  being  limited  to  200,  the 
minimum  conduct-mark  would  be  250,  and  all 
below  this  would  be  pronounced  deficient  in  conduct. 

It  is  easy  now  to  see  the  effect  of  demerit  upon 
the  general  merit  of  a  class.  To  make  this  more 
apparent  still.  Table  E  exhibits  the  arrangements 
of  a  class  by  scholarship  alone,  while  Table  F  shows 
the  result  when  conduct  is  combined  with  scholar- 
ship. 

The  system  of  discipline  which  has  just  been  ex- 
plained, is  borrowed  from  that  which  generally 
exists  in  military  institutions,  but  which  is  not  ne- 
cessarily limited  in  its  applications.  It  possesses 
decided  advantages  over  those  which  commonly 
prevail,  not  only  in  its  restraining  influences  over 
the  vicious  tendencies  of  the  young,  but  in  direct- 
ing the  energies  of  the  mind  more  fully  and  more 
universally  to  the  attainment  of  knowledge.  While 
other  systems  operate  very  well  for  the  virtuous 
and  industrious,  and  in  fact  control  by  the  force  of 
extreme  punishment,  those  who  are  grossly  negli- 
gent and  vicious ;  this  supplies  an  important  defect, 
by  taking  cognizance  of  a  numerous  class  of  of- 
fences which  are  not  ordinarily  noticed,  so  long  as 


COLLEGE    REFORM.  47 

the  student  conducts  himself  with  moderate  pro- 
priety and  attention. 

To  secure  this  important  object,  the  college  regu- 
lations must  be  very  minute.  Besides  prescribing 
specific  punishments  for  the  more  heinous  moral 
offences,  they  must  define  with  precision  a  routine 
of  minor  duties,  and  interdict  a  number  of  minor 
offences.  To  enforce  these  rules,  the  military  prin- 
ciple of  responsibility  must  be  introduced  into  the 
college.  This  can  be  done  without  difficulty.  The 
occupants  of  a  room  being  required  to  attend  to  its 
police,  one  should  be  made  responsible  for  its 
police  and  "order,  each  room-mate  assuming  this 
orderly  duty  "  2W  turn,"  say  for  one  week.  The 
college  building  should  then  be  arranged  by  divi- 
sions, each  division  being  placed  in  charge  of  a 
professor,  whose  duty  it  should  be  to  visit  the  rooms 
at  stated  times,  and  report  every  student  guilty 
of  any  violation  of  college  regulations.  Classes 
should  be  assembled  on  the  college  lawn  by  squad- 
marches,  and  from  thence  marched  in  order  to  the 
lecture-room.  By  these  and  similar  arrangements 
any  institution  of  learning  might  profitably  adopt 


48  COLLEGE     REFORM. 

the  essential  features  of  the  military  schools,  with- 
out assuming  in  any  sense  a  military  character. 

These  minute  rules  will  give  some  labour,  and 
will  require  no  little  attention  on  the  part  of  the 
officers  of  the  college,  but  the  benefits  will  fully 
compensate  for  all  the  care  and  labour  ;  for,  besides 
the  immediate  advantages  resulting  from  the  system 
in  the  discipline  of  the  college,  there  are  moral 
questions  involved,  which  ought  not  to  be  disre- 
garded in  training  the  young. 

Those  who  are  trained  to  discharge  minor  duties 
faithfully  and  punctually,  find  it  easier  to  under- 
take and  master  weightier  ones.  Men  become 
eminent  in  knowledge  by  taking  heed  to  little 
things.  The  ladder  of  fame  is  only  ascended  step 
hy  step.  On  the  other  hand,  those  who  know  that 
small  ofiences  cannot  be  committed  with  impunity, 
will  regard  those  of  a  more  aggravated  character 
with  more  seriousness.  When  a  man  allows  him- 
self in  little  things,  they  soon  accumulate  into 
great.  He  allows  himself  in  little  things,  and  thus 
forms  a  strong  habit.  Because  it  is  little,  he  counts 
it  of  no  moment,  forgetting  that  men  do  not  become 
infamous   at  once.     The   drunkard,   the  swindler. 


-%< 


COLLEGE    REFORM.  49 

the  outlaw,  have  only  reached  their  depth  of  folly 
and  of  crime  by  degrees.  This  discipline,  there- 
fore, which  teaches  a  youth  to  have  respect  to  little 
thiiiggy  and  fixes  this  principle  as  a  habit^  by  incul* 
eating  that  no  duty  is  too  trifling  to  be  neglected, 
and  no  offence  too  light  to  be  overlooked,  will  do 
more  to  qualify  him  for  the  active  duties  of  life 
than  anything  else.  Method,  promptness,  and 
fidelity,  are  the  great  leading  qualities  which  con- 
stitute the  business  man.  The  discipline  which 
induces  them  must  be  good. 

There  is  great  difficulty  in  little  things.  Men 
who  can  set  themselves  right  earnestly  to  work  to 
accomplish  great  matters,  are  often  at  fault  in  those 
which  are  trivial,  and  yet  all  business  men  will  say 
that  it  is  by  taking  heed  to  these  little  things  that 
security  can  be  had,  that  the  weightier  ones  will 
not  be  neglected;  and  he  who  has  obtained  the 
mastery  over  himself  to  meet  and  discharge  the 
smallest  duty,  has  done  much  to  qualify  himself 
for  the  greatest.  If,  in  the  consideration  of  the 
duties  of  this  life,  we  include  that  higher  sphere  of 
duty  and  of  action  which  embraces  the  life  to  come, 
how  forcibly  does  this  principle  of  taking  heed  to 
6 


60  COLLEGE    REFORM. 

little  things  apply !  Go  to  the  minister  in  holy 
things,  and  he  will  say  that  men  become  eminent 
in  piety  by  forsaking  little  sins,  by  taking  heed  to 
little  things.  It  is  this  overlooking  little  things 
which  constitutes  the  stumbling-block  to  many 
who  have  their  faces  Zionward.  Too  many  cling 
to  some  Zoar,  and  ask,  "/«  it  not  a  little  one?'' 
while  others  seek  the  Abana  and  Pharpar,  to  the 
neglect  of  the  simple  teachings  of  Divine  truth. 

The  propriety  of  establishing  a  "commons"  for 
the  students  must  depend  upon  the  circumstances 
of  the  college.  Where  the  means  will  justify  the 
outlay  for  a  mess  hall,  economy  and  order  may  be 
promoted  by  such  an  arrangement.  In  this  case, 
the  system  of  responsibility  before  referred  to,  must 
be  introduced,  by  dividing  the  tables  into  separate 
sections,  each  in  charge  of  a  carver,  who  should  be 
made  accountable  for  the  order  of  his  section. 
Whether  this  suggestion  be  carried  out  or  not,  it  is 
earnestly  insisted  upon  that  all  colleges  provide^  at 
whatever  cost,  a  convenient  and  well-arranged  hos- 
pital for  the  sick.  It  is  surprising  that  this  indis- 
pensable comfort  is  overlooked  in  the  arrangements 
of  a  college  outfit.     Fine  library  rooms,  museums 


COLLEGE    REFORM.  51 

and  society  halls, — these  are  provided,  at  great 
expense,  but  the  sick  student  is  thrown  upon  the 
kindness  of  his  boarding-house  keeper,  or  of  his 
room-mates  in  a  college  dormitory,  when  his  case 
requires  a  quiet  room  and  skilful  nursing. 


III. 

RELiaiOUS  EDUCATION. 

It  would  transcend  the  limits  contemplated  in 
this  brief  outline,  to  enter  upon  a  full  development 
of  the  duty  of  colleges  in  the  moral  and  religious 
training  of  youth.  Nor  is  it  necessary  to  do  so. 
This  subject  has  been  so  well  discussed  by  those 
who  are  in  every  way  competent  for  the  task,  that 
all  necessary  information  may  be  obtained  by  a 
reference  to  the  various  existing  works  on  religious 
education.  Suffice  it  to  say,  that  the  object  of  all 
education,  if  limited  to  this  life  only,  is  to  make 
men  happy  in  themselves,  and  useful  to  others ;  and 
it  may  be  assumed  as  an  indisputable  truth,  that 
we  shall  most  certainly  secure  these  ends  by  lay- 


62  COLLEGE    REFORM. 

ing  deep  in  the  youthful  mind  the  principles  and 
precepts  of  the  Christian  religion.  But  the  great 
end  of  education  is  a  preparation  for  another  state 
of  existence,  and  here  the  teacher's  voice  should 
give  no  "uncertain  sound."  Parents  want  Chris- 
tian teachers,  that  they  may  be  sure  their  sons 
receive  a  pure  morality.  They  want  Christian 
teachers,  because  they  know  that  "  the  fear  of  the 
Lord  is  the  beginning  of  wisdom." 

Who  can  read  the  closing  paragraph  of  the  will 
of  Patrick  Henry,  without  acknowledging  the  truth 
of  the  eloquent  sentiment  it  expresses,  and  without 
respect  for  the  high  authority  from  which  it  comes  ? 
"  I  have  now  disposed  of  my  property  to  my 
family  ;  there  is  one  thing  more  I  wish  I  could  give 
them,  and  that  is  the  Christian  religion.  If 
they  had  this,  and  I  had  not  given  them  one  shil- 
ling, they  would  be  rich  ;  and  if  they  had  not  that, 
and  I  had  given  them  all  the  world,  they  would  be 
poor." 

If  the  above  views  be  correct,  the  propriety  of 
systematic  instruction  from  the  Bible  on  the  Sabbath 
will  be  manifest.     With  this  should  be  associated 


I 


COLLEQE    REFORM.  53 

the  study  of  natural  theology,  and  the  evidences  of 
the  Christian  religion. 


IV 


MILITARY  INSTITUTIONS. 

The  success  which  has  attended  the  establishment 
of  the  Virginia  Military  Institute,  has  prompted 
other  institutions  to  attempt  a  similar  organization. 
A  word  of  caution  is  necessary  on  this  point. 

The  circumstances  which  led  to  the  complete 
military  character  of  the  Virginia  Military  Insti- 
tute were  peculiar.  Here  there  is  a  depot  of  arms 
belonging  to  the  state,  which  had  been  formerly 
guarded  by  a  company  of  enlisted  soldiers,  at  an 
annual  charge  to  the  state  of  some  $6000.  By 
imposing  upon  a  corps  of  cadets  the  duties  of  the 
guard,  the  legislature  organized  a  state  military 
institution  upon  the  basis  of  the  U.  S.  Military  Aca- 
demy, at  West  Point.  By  this  arrangement  the 
institution  became  in  the  fullest  sense  a  part  of  the 
military  of  the  state,  the  officers  and  cadets  being 
6* 


■^ 


COLLEGE    REFORM. 


under  the  command  of  the  governor.  This  control 
on  the  part  of  the  state  gives  an  authority  over  the 
Institute  which  is  essential  to  its  maintaining  a  full 
military  organization.  Without  this  control  all 
attempts  to  follow  such  a  system  must  prove  abor- 
tive. There  is  much  to  attract  young  men  in  the 
military  dress,  and  the  "  pomp  and  circumstance" 
of  the  parades,  at  first ;  but  these  soon  become 
wearisome,  and  unless  those  who  enter  such  insti- 
tutions are  held  under  the  restraining  authority  of 
the  state,  they  will  fluctuate  with  the  tastes  and 
whims  of  young  men. 

Add  to  this,  the  "appareil"  of  a  military  school 
is  very  expensive.  Tents,  military  equipments,  &c., 
must  be  provided  and  kept  up,  and  these  involve  a 
large  expenditure  of  money.  Hence  it  is  advised 
that  no  institution  be  attempted  upon  this  model, 
except  by  state  authority.  Private  enterprises  will 
not  succeed. 

All  that  is  desirable  in  military  schools,  except 
the  specific  object  aimed  at  by  a  state  in  the  disci- 
pline of  its  militia,  may  be  secured  by  an  organiza- 
tion similar  to  that  which  has  been  sketched  out 
in  the  foregoing  pages.     It  is  an  error  to  suppose 


COLLEGE    REFORM.  55 

that  the  efficacy  of  the  government  in  military 
institutions,  results  from  the  force  of  the  bayonet. 
Quite  the  reverse.  It  is  the  system  of  resjponsi- 
hility,  and  the  publicity  given  to  the  class  merit  and 
demerit  (all  of  which  may  with  equal  propriety 
and  success  be  introduced  into  any  institution), 
which  constitute  the  moral  power  of  such  schools. 

When  a  state  establishes  a  military  school,  it  is 
advised  that  the  military  feature  be  made  complete. 
To  have  an  institution  partly  military  and  partly 
civil,  or  ta  suppose  that  you  can  have  a  military 
college  with  a  professor  of  tactics  and  a  company 
or  cadets,  is  to  attempt  what  must  fail.  Taking 
the  organization  of  the  United  States  Military 
Academy  as  the  basis,  carry  out  the  system  so  well 
arranged  in  this  admirable  institution,  and  you  will 
form  a  military  state  college  which  ought  to  suc- 
ceed and  will  succeed,  if  the  state  will  properly 
maintain  it. 


56  COLLEGE    REFORM. 

TABLE  A. 

COLLEGE. 

Weekly  Class  Report 


Week  ending 


>  Class.  < 


(  Department  of 
Section  ■ 


i 

Names. 

M. 

T. 

W. 

T. 

F. 

ToUI. 

Remarks. 

1 

W.  Y.  C. 

3 

2i 

2i 

3 

3 

13* 

2 

J.  A.  M. 

2 

a 

21 

3 

3 

13i 

3 

T.H. 

3 

2 

3 

21 

131 

4 

W.  H.  B. 

2i 

3 

2} 

li 

3 

13 

5 

J.  T.  B.  W. 

2i 

3 

3 

3 

2i 

14 

6 

7 

J.  C.  P. 
P.  C.  B. 

3 
2i 

a 
3 

a 
2i 

2 
3 

3 
2* 

13 

m 

• 

8 

G.G.  G. 

3 

2i 

3 

2 

3 

13} 

9 

A.  J.  V. 

2 

3 

a 

2i 

3 

13 

10 

W.  A.  E. 

3 

a 

2 

3 

3 

13i 

11 

B.  F.  E. 

3 

2 

3 

2i 

2 

12t 

12 

R.  S.  B. 

3 

2J 

3 

2J 

2} 

12» 

13 

E.  P.T. 

2 

3 

2i 

3 

2 

12* 

14 

C.C. 

2 

3 

2i 

3 

3 

13i 

15 

A.  D.  C. 

2 

2t 

2i  2i 

2J 

111 

To 


President  of  • 


College. 


A.  B. 

Professor. 


COLLEGE    REFORM. 


57 


TABLE  B. 

ABSTRACT  FROM  WEEKLY  CLASS  REPORT,  1851. 
Department  of 


Class 


Section 


00 

IH 

^ 

§ 

^ 

1" 

^ 

^ 

Grand  total 

o 

Names. 

s 

3 

0 

0 

for  month. 

^ 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

C9 

d 

« 

<-» 

>-s 

i-s 

i-s 

1 

J.  C.  M. 

15 

15 

15 

15 

60 

2 

J.  E.  B. 

15 

15 

15 

15 

60 

3 

J.  C.  M. 

14* 

15 

Hi 

15 

59i 

4 

G.  S,  P. 

14i 

15 

15 

Hi 

58  i 

5 

W.  0.  Y. 

15 

15 

15 

14* 

59* 

6 

J.  G. 

15 

15 

Hi 

15 

59i 

7 

T.  T. 

14 

Hi 

HJ 

14 

57i 

8 

J.  M. 

14i 

Ui 

14 

Hi 

57i 

9 

T.  T.  M. 

14 

Ui 

Hi 

Hi 

57i 

10 

N.  H. 

13* 

14 

15 

14 

56* 

li 

M.  P.  C. 

m 

14t 

Hi 

14 

56i 

12 

G.  C.  W. 

13 

14 

Hi 

14 

55  i 

13 

C.  T.  M. 

13J 

14 

13 

13i 

54 

14 

C,  L.R. 

14 

14i 

15 

14 

57i       1 

15 

M.  M. 

15 

13i 

Hi 

Hi 

57i 

SS  COLLEGE    BEFORM. 

TABLE  C. 

FORMS  OF  EXCUSES. 

A.  B.     Room  out  of  order  on  the  10th  April,  1851. 

Excuse.    I  forgot  to  police  it. 

Respectfully  submitted. 

A.  B. 
To  C.  D.,  President  of College. 

The  excuse  is  not  good.    Forgetfulness  might  cause  serious  bad 
consequences. 

C.  D. 
President. 

A.  B.     Noise  in  College  on  the  15th  April,  1851. 

Excuse.  There  must  be  some  error  in  the  report,  as  I  was 
not  in  College  on  the  day  mentioned,  having  permission  from 
the  President  to  be  absent. 

Respectfully  submitted. 

A.B. 

The  report  is  removed. 

CD. 

President. 


COLLEGE    REFORM. 

TABLE  D. 

DEMERIT  BOOK. 
A.  B. 


1861. 

Delinquency. 

Demerit 

January  3. 

Absent  from  mathematics, 

3 

10. 

Room  out  of  order, 

3 

11. 

Using  tobacco, 

5 

"      -  15. 

Visiting  in  study  hours, 

5 

February  3. 

Noise  in  quarters, 

5 

17. 

Neglect  of  person. 

3 

29. 

Abuse  of  public  buildings, 

8 

Mar6h  3. 

Profanity, 

8 

7. 

Absent  from  College  without 
permission. 

Total  demerit  for  quarter. 

5 
45 

COLLEGE    REFORM. 


TABLE  E. 


1 

1 

Names. 

Merit  in 

5 

Remarks. 

1 

i 

t 
1 

i 
1 

1 

2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 

W.  G.  B. 
G.  H.  P. 
G.  W.  T. 
R.  H.  P. 
F.  V. 
H.  C. 
R.  E.  R. 
J.  H.  J. 
R.  H.  C. 
T.  R.  T. 

300 
256 
233 
278 
211 
189 
144 
167 
122 
100 

189 
178 
200 
100 
167 
111 
156 
122 
144 
133 

100 
91 
62 
84 
69 
76 
48 
55 
33 
40 

589 
525 
495 
462 
447 
376 
348 
344 
299 
273 

COLLEGE    REFORM. 


61 


TABLE  F. 


Names. 

Merit  in 

1 

1 

1 

1 

Remarks. 

1 

1 

G.  W.  T. 

233 

200 

62 

300 

795 

2 

G.  H.  P. 

256 

178 

91 

269 

794 

3 

W.  G.  B. 

300 

189 

100 

202 

791 

4 

F,  V. 

211 

167 

69 

294 

741 

5 

R.  H,  P. 

278 

100 

84 

265 

727 

6 

H.  C. 

189 

111 

76 

274 

650 

7 

J.  H.  J. 

167 

122 

55 

300 

644 

8 

T.  R.  T. 

100 

133 

40 

300 

573 

9 

R.  E.  R. 

144 

156 

48 

210 

558 

10 

R.  H.  C. 

122 

144 

33 

225 

524 

MATHEMATICAL  WORKS. 

In  preparing  this  work,  the  author  has  adopted  those  explanattor»  and 
demonstrations  which  an  experience  of  many  years  in  teaching,  and  a  care- 
ful comparison  of  standard  authors,  have  shown  to  be  best.  Withool 
following  the  system  of  any  other  writer,  he  has  derived  important  aid 
from  the  worits  of  Gamier,  Bezout,  Reynaud,  Bourdon,  Lacroix,  Francceur, 
^uler,  Hutton,  Thomson,  Goodwyn,  Scott,  and  the  Encyclopedia  Metropo- 
litana.  Many  of  his  examples  have  been  selected  from  the  valuable  edi- 
tion of  Hutton's  Mathematics,  by  Professor  Rutherford,  of  the  Roya 
Military  Academy,  Woolwich. 

This  work  covers  the  full  course  of  Davies'  Bourdon,  and  contains  a  new 
and  beautiful  demonstration  of  the  Binomial  Theorem  in  the  case  of  an 
Exponent,  by  Professor  Pike  Powers,  late  of  the  University  of  Virginia. 


SMITH'S   BIOT. 

AN  ELEMENTARr  TREATISE  ON  ANALYTICAL  GEOMETRY.    TRANSLATED 

FROM  THE  FRENCH  OF  J.  B.  BIOT, 

BY    FRANCIS    H.  SMITH,  A.M. 

REVISED   EDITIO.V. 

This  work  of  M.Biot  has  more  to  recommend  it  than  the  mere  style  of 
composition,  unexceptionable  as  that  is.  The  mode  in  which  he  has  pre- 
sented the  subject  is  so  peculiar  and  felicitous,  as  to  have  drawn  from  the 
Princeton  Review  the  high  eulogium  upon  his  work,  of  being  "  the  most 
perfect  scientific  gem  to  be  found  in  any  language."  Blot's  Analytical 
Geometry  is  the  basis  upon  which  other  works  published  in  this  country 
have  been  prepared. 

NOTICES  OF  THE  SERIES. 


From  the  Board  of  Directors  of  the  Literary  Fund,  Va. 
The  Board  of  Directors  of  the  Literary  Fund  having  examined  Smith 
and  Duke's  American  Statistical  Arithmetic,  composed  by  Francis  H. 
Smith,  Esq.,  Superintendent  and  Professor  of  Mathematics  in  the  Virginia 
Military  Institute,  take  pleasure  in  recommending  the  work,  especially 
for  the  purpose  for  which  it  is  designed,  "to  prepare  beginners  for  the 
study  of  the  more  advanced  parts  of  the  science."  The  plan  of  inculcating 
valuable  statistical  information  in  the  illustration  of  arithmetical  rules,  is 
not  only  novel  and  attractive,  but  useful,  and  is  doubtless  calculated  to 
make  a  strong  impression  on  the  minds  of  youth. 
A  true  extract  from  the  minutes. 

Signed,  J.  BROWN,  Jr.,  Secnnd  Auditor. 

Office  of  the  Literary  Fund  Board,  Va. 

Q  (\  (94^ 


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